The Tipping Point
by storyseamstress95
Summary: Just what was the breaking point that made Sirius decide to leave home? Regulus getting the Dark Mark. One-shot


Regulus and Sirius Black were sitting in their mother's house, completely stunned at the news that their father had died just the night before. For the two boys who were still in school, this came as a huge shock. Regulus, who had been closest with his father, was completely stunned and could say nothing. He stared into nothingness, completely lost in thought and grief. And although Sirius was shocked, he couldn't help but think "good riddance" when he thought of his father's death. His father had been a cruel and vile man. Sirius took another sip of butterbeer and could hear his mother howling two stories above. It had been she who had taken his death so harshly. Sirius put his drink back down on the table and looked at his brother, his eye catching something black etched onto his brother's arm.

"What is that?" Sirius said sharply.

Regulus tugged his sleeve over his arm and said nervously, "Nothing Sirius. Honest."

With a look of pure disgust on his face, Sirius got up from the table that the two were sitting at, strode over to his brother's chair and took his arm.

Sirius looked into his brother's eyes and whispered quietly, lest Kreacher hear, "I'll give you one more chance to tell me what it is before I find out for myself and hex you."

Regulus narrowed his eyes and said, "Go ahead. I'm not ashamed."

Absolutely furious with his brother, Sirius ripped Regulus's sleeve up to his elbow, revealing his extremely pale forearm and his new tattoo.

Sirius looked as if he had just uncovered a particularly nasty slug. He threw Regulus's arm back onto the table, where it landed with a dull thud. It had been forceful, but Regulus didn't wince when his arm came in contact with the table. He stood up as well, while his brother set to pacing the room.

"How dare you!" he finally shouted after a few moments of total silence, not caring who heard at this point. "Do you not understand the severity of bearing the Dark Mark?"

Regulus surveyed his brother calmly and said, "Yes, I understand. Can you chill out?"

"_Chill out?_" Sirius roared. "I know what that man plans on doing and I know plenty of lovely Muggle-borns who I would NEVER want to see hurt or killed!"

"There's this one girl…" And Sirius stopped at that. He wouldn't dare tell his brother about Lily Evans, and how he harbored a secret passion for her, one he kept silent from everyone since she had already been claimed by James. If she died…

Sirius swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and started again.

"Look, this is deep stuff. And you're only fifteen! You don't want to get involved."

Regulus looked stonily at Sirius as he said, "I already have. And you can't just hand in your resignation to the Dark Lord. He deserves more respect than that."

"RESPECT?" Sirius screamed. At this point, Mrs. Black came crashing into the dining room, her tear-streaked face looking exceptionally frightening.

"Your poor father is dead not more than a day and you two are fighting! Can we not have peace and quiet?"

"Not while there's a Death Eater in the house," Sirius spat at his mother. He was fuming.

Mrs. Black turned glassy eyes on her youngest son and her face broke into a grin. "My son!" she yelped and enveloped him in her monstrously huge arms.

"I'm so proud of you!" she choked out between her sobs of grief and joy. Too revolted for words, Sirius bounded up the stairs to his room, ignoring his mother's inquiries as to why he was storming from the room. He packed himself a small bag and, tucking away a small picture of Lily inside one of his socks, made his way back down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" his mother asked, completely bewildered.

"To the Potters," Sirius said tensely. "I've had enough of this pure-blood supremacy crap. I'm clearing out."

At first his mother seemed shocked. But then her face turned beet red, and then a brilliant purple.

"GET OUT!" she screamed, alarming Kreacher who had just come around the corner. "GOOD RIDDANCE TOO! YOU ARE CUT OFF, DO YOU HEAR? CUT OFF!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and made sure to slam the door extra hard on the way out, leaving behind his mother whose eyes were bulging in anger and his brother who was now wishing he hadn't joined the Death Eaters. His brother who wanted to do nothing more than to make Sirius proud because he looked up to him in every way.


End file.
